Who said “By the time we are women, fear is as familiar to us as air. It is our element. We live…”?

Verified

Andrea Dworkin. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSpeech at Queens College, City University of New York (March 12, 1975). "The Sexual Politics of Fear and Courage", ch. 5, Our Blood (1976)

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“By the time we are women, fear is as familiar to us as air. It is our element. We live in it, we inhale it, we exhale it, and most of the time we do not even notice it. Instead of ''I am afraid,'' we say, ''I don't want to,'' or ''I don't know how,'' or ''I can't.''”
— Andrea Dworkin
VerifiedSpeech at Queens College, City University of New York (March 12, 1975). "The Sexual Politics of Fear and Courage", ch. 5, Our Blood (1976) · evidenceFear

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Speech at Queens College, City University of New York (March 12, 1975). "The Sexual Politics of Fear and Courage", ch. 5, Our Blood (1976).

APA

Dworkin, A. (n.d.). By the time we are women, fear is as familiar to us as air. It is our element. We live in it, we inhale it, we exhale it, and most of the time we do not even notice it. Instead of ''I am afraid,'' we say, ''I don't want to,'' or ''I don't know how,'' or ''I can't.'' [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/17765-by-the-time-we-are-women-fear-is/

MLA

Dworkin, Andrea. “By the time we are women, fear is as familiar to us as air. It is our element. We live in it, we inhale it, we exhale it, and most of the time we do not even notice it. Instead of ''I am afraid,'' we say, ''I don't want to,'' or ''I don't know how,'' or ''I can't.''” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/17765-by-the-time-we-are-women-fear-is/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Dworkin, Andrea. “By the time we are women, fear is as familiar to us as air. It is our element. We live in it, we inhale it, we exhale it, and most of the time we do not even notice it. Instead of ''I am afraid,'' we say, ''I don't want to,'' or ''I don't know how,'' or ''I can't.''” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/17765-by-the-time-we-are-women-fear-is/.

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